Week 1 looked very similar for UTSA and Texas State.
UTSA led Kennesaw State 21-6 at the half but struggled to put the finishing touches on the game before finally scoring with less than four minutes remaining to go ahead 28-16, which was the game’s final score.
But the fact that it was even within a touchdown at that point was surprising. College football betting odds had the Roadrunners as 24-point favorites.
Much like UTSA, Texas State was up 18-0 over Lamar at the break before the Bobcats just didn’t seem to play with as much purpose in the second half.
The Cardinals outscored the Bobcats 27-16 in the second half and were an onside kick recovery and a late miracle away from tying — or even winning — the game before the Bobcats ultimately survived with a 24-17 victory. Texas State was a 33.5-point favorite.
Not a pretty start to the season for either team.
Now, the upcoming matchup for both gets much more difficult with UTSA visiting the Bobcats for a Saturday afternoon I-35 meeting and a must-watch AAC vs. Sun Belt clash.
How To Watch Texas State-UTSA
The game kicks off at 4 p.m. ET Saturday and will air on ESPNU.
Texas State-UTSA Betting Odds
Texas State is a 1.5-point favorite against UTSA.
Texas State-UTSA Coaches & Records
UTSA: Jeff Traylor (40-14)
Texas State: GJ Kinne (21-7, 9-5 at Texas State)
Last meeting: Sept. 9, 2023; UTSA won 20-13 at home.
UTSA is 5-0 against the Bobcats, with all meetings being played since 2012.
UTSA Preview
Quarterback Owen McCown had some big shoes to fill replacing the beloved Frank Harris. McCown started in last year’s Frisco Bowl victory over Marshall, but I would like to call last week his official debut as the Roadrunners’ No. 1 QB.
The sophomore played well, passing for over 300 yards and three touchdowns while going 28 of 38. It was the running game that struggled in Week 1, however.
The Roadrunners rushed for only 76 yards on 34 attempts, averaging 2.2 yards per carry. If they want to defeat Texas State, they’ll likely need to be more productive in the rushing game and take pressure off of McCown, who could be hounded by the Bobcats’ defensive line. UTSA gave up five sacks in Week 1 and Texas State had seven sacks against Lamar.
UTSA also had 10 penalties for 109 yards against KSU.
Texas State Preview
Unlike the Roadrunners, Texas State and all-conference running back Ismail Mahdi had no problems running the ball last week. Mahdi finished with 156 yards and one TD while the team eclipsed 200 yards as a whole.
While scoring 34 points, the Bobcats’ offense didn’t play badly. They scored on six of their 12 possessions and only punted twice but had three turnovers and a missed field goal. There were plenty of points left on the board. It was Week 1, though, and the Bobcats will be more polished going forward.
Texas State’s robust defensive line definitely showed what it’s capable of. They didn’t only finish with seven sacks but added 10 tackles for loss.
Texas State-UTSA Prediction
I’m picking Texas State to narrowly win.
I think the Bobcats’ D-Line going up against the Roadrunners’ O-Line is the matchup to watch. Both groups are among the best in their respective conferences.
If the Bobcats can force turnovers and create long-down situations, it will be tough for UTSA to keep up with Texas State’s offense.
Whichever team is more disciplined than they were last week will also play a pivotal role. The Bobcats had even more penalties than UTSA, finishing with 16 penalties for 156 yards. You can get away with that against Lamar, but not against UTSA.
I will give the slight edge to the Bobcats because they’re playing at home and have the better QB — but that doesn’t mean they’ll cover the 1.5-point spread. Give me the Bobcats 31-30, winning on a late field goal.
